UN Secretary general Ban Ki-Moon has appointed Indian Diplomat Nikhil Seth as the head of United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Nikhil Seth will be succeeding Sally Fegan-Wyles of Ireland. Seth is currently the director of the UN’s Division for Sustainable Development. Previously, he headed the Office of the Secretary General of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development.

UNITAR

• UNITAR is a training arm of the United Nations System.
• It is serving more than 25,000 beneficiaries annually by conducting more than 400 capacity development and research activities around the world.
• The objective of UNITAR is to develop capacities of individuals, organisations and institutions to enhance global decision-making
• UNITAR helps to support country-level action for shaping a better future.
• As an autonomous body, UNITAR is governed by a Board of Trustees and is headed by an Executive Director.

GK Questions

• The headquarters of the United Nations is in _________? New York
• In 1953, who became the first woman President of the United Nations General Assembly? Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit.